CD Odyssey Disc 19: Frank Sinatra

What's that you say? Listening to every album you own consecutively and not stopping until you're done? Sounds like a CD Odyssey.

That's right my friends - and this time in random order. From Alice Cooper we take a sharp turn:

Disc 19 is...Sinatra at the Sands

Artist: Frank Sinatra, with Count Basie and His Orchestra, Arranged and Conducted by Quincy Jones

Year of Release: 1966

How I Came To Know It: I got into Frank during my swing years in the nineties. I think Andrew got me going, but it was a trip up island in quest of burger king with Andrew, Chris M and Geoff M that solidified Frank for me. Back in the dark days of the nineties there was no burger king within 50 miles! Even now to get to and from the burger king you have to walk 30 miles up a hill - both ways.

I bought this album because it had "Fly Me To The Moon" and I liked that song since I saw that Richard Dreyfus/Holly Hunt movie "Once Around".

How It Stacks Up: My house is in disarray, so I'm not sure hom much Frank I have. I think four, but three are compilations and this one is a live album, so no way to compare.

Rating: 3 stars.

Sinatra at the Sands is one of those albums that I rarely play. Each time I pull it out I say to myself, "one last listen for the road, then I'm selling it." But each time, Old Blue Eyes charms me again, and I find myself really enjoying it.

This time was no exception, and it doesn't hurt that with Count Basie and Quincy Jones, the album is like a miniature collection of 60s superstars.

Anyway, Frank is in great form here, charming the audience with humourous anecdotes about dames, and how drunk Dean Martin gets. Frank: "At Dean's house, there's no drinking allowed after dinner. Of course dinner is served at 3:30 in the morning!"

The album is a little uneven, but there's a reason Sinatra is as famous as he is - he can really sing. As live albums go, I've heard better, but this one stands up alright.

If you want to get a Sinatra album - ask someone else which one. With a live record and 3 best ofs, I am not qualified to tell you which studio album to buy - and I don't respect "best of" recommendations. They're for chumps.

So I'll end this review now, before I "chumpetize" myself.

Best tracks: Come Fly With Me, One For My Baby (And One More For the Road), Luck Be a Lady